Every August, on the first Tuesday night, neighborhoods all over Suffolk's 430 square miles join forces with thousands of communities nationwide for the Annual National Night Out (NNO) crime, drug and gang prevention event.
National Night Out is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW), and co-sponsored locally by the Suffolk Police Department. The annual event involves over 34 million people in 10,000 communities in 50 states, Canadian cities and military bases worldwide.
National Night Out is designed to:
- heighten crime and drug prevention awareness;
- generate support for and participation in local anti-crime efforts;
- strengthen neighborhood spirit and police - community partnerships; and
- send a message to criminals, letting them know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.
This year's Project 365 theme is "Our Youth, Our Future".
Suffolk neighborhoods will host special events such as block parties, cookouts, parades, visits from police and city officials, flashlight walks, contests, youth activities and anti-crime rallies.
The event is truly a citywide effort that grows larger each year with community members and several agencies including the Office of Commonwealth Attorney, Department of Parks and Recreation, Department of Communications, Suffolk Sheriff's Department, Suffolk Fire and Rescue, Suffolk Public Utilities, Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing and Department of Tourism committing their time, effort and resources to the events.
